SIBU: The Chinese community here on yesterday (April 5) celebrated the Ching Ming Festival or Tomb-Sweeping Day.
Most cemeteries were crowded with people, cleaning the graves of their loved ones and burning paper money as offering.
A tutor, Albert Tay, and his family were among those at the Teochew cemetery, Jalan Teng Chin Hua before sunrise.
“We observe the festival on the actual day every year. This has been our tradition for many years,” he explained.
Despite the price increase in paper money and other prayer paraphernalia, they like other families, still have to spend as they are necessary items.
“This year, we spent close to RM400 on paper money and other items,” Tay said.
Meanwhile, Chua Siok Tin said: “There is a price hike on prayer items. But this year, we still have to spend about RM500 on them as offerings to our late parents.”
